Denver and Red Rocks

[Tue 6/21 - Thu 6/23]

Woke around 7am Tuesday at our Winter Park campsite and quickly packed up camp - didn't even make coffee, opting instead to find a breakfast spot when we got to Denver. The winding drive south on highway 40, up and over a Rocky Mountain pass, was beautiful. We picked up I-70 and continued east into Denver, parking in the Union Station area, a block from our hotel, around 9:30. Had a great breakfast at One Fold, walked back to the hotel and were pleased to learn our room was ready. Showers were a welcome treat after 3 nights of camping.

After cleaning up, we headed out for a tour of downtown Denver, walking from our hotel, past Coors Field, on to the State Capitol and Civic Center area, stopping for a pint at Pints Pub (a great British-style pub that claims to hold the World's Largest Single Malt Selection Outside Britain), then on to Laramie Street and back to the hotel, a nice 4-5mi walk. We really enjoyed seeing the city - one neither of us have spent much time in - and agreed we need to come back again and stay a little longer.

Colorado State Capitol

Two feet at 5,280 feet above sea level (on the Colorado Capitol steps)

A portion of Pints' single malt collection

Laramie Street - mid-afternoon lull

We got back to the hotel around 3, cleaned up in time to be picked up at 3:45 by my college buddy, JD, and his wife Kathy, our companions for dinner and a concert at Red Rocks.

JD drove us to The Golden Mill, a great restaurant/pub with self-service beer taps - you get a card that you tap before you pour; it measures how much you pour and charges by the ounce, so you can sample dozens of local beers (mixed drinks too). Sat outside and enjoyed a great meal, then headed over to Red Rocks, a spectacular venue for live music - especially on a gorgeous early-summer night. Saw Neko Case, Iron & Wine (the reason I picked this show) and Andrew Bird. All were great - especially enjoyed when Iron & Wine joined Andrew Bird on stage for a few songs. After the show, we headed back downtown, stopped for a nightcap near our hotel, then said our goodbyes after a great night.

Pre-show with JD & Kathy

I&W

Night sky over Red Rocks

Alarm woke me at 6:45. Karri was already up and showered(!). I showered, we packed up, grabbed breakfast at the hotel and were on the road by 7:30. Our destination today is Bozeman, MT, about a 10hr drive. We previously intended to head toward Chicago but (as previously mentioned) changed plans and are heading for home. Staying with friends, Jack & Diane, who joined us for a portion of our Yellowstone trip last year. If all goes according to plan, we'll have an 11hr drive home on Friday. Hard to believe this is our last night of the trip.